Chase's Elk

Chase killed his first mature elk on monday night! We're so happy! Although he worked super hard to get it, it was so worth it! He left monday morning at about 5 AM and didn't get home until ten or so. There was a TON of hiking, and it rained on them on and off all day! But he got one! I'm so happy for him, and it was a monster! It scored a 350, and if you don't know about the scores, that's a HUGE bull. Yay Chase! Love you! Thanks for bringing home the bacon! Literally! Haha.

First Bath

Adalee's first bath was in the sink at home on monday night. She only fussed a tiny bit, but otherwise she was amazing! We made it quick, just a sponge bath, but I think she likes the water. Look at that little belly! I could just squeeze her all day long!

She Has Finally Arrived!

Adalee Jane Brown was born Friday, September 11th at 11:24 PM.

7 lbs 13 oz, and 19 inches long.

After a 21 hour labor, she finally arrived!

I went into labor at 3 AM on Friday the 11th. I woke Chase up to coach me through it, because man was it painful! We were going to wait a while to go in, but there was some bleeding that I wanted to get checked out and make sure it all was progressing okay. We were observed for an hour, and my cervix dilated only a half centimeter instead of a whole one, so we went home to be comfortable for the long process of labor! After 7 hours of labor at home, we went back in when my contractions were 60-90 seconds long and 4 to 5 minutes apart. When I was checked, though, I had was only dilated to a 4. We stayed for a few hours, and they wanted to send me home again when I wasn't progressing. They said I was in latent labor, and they wanted me to take some morphine and go get some rest. I was so shakey and exhausted at this point (15 hours in) that I just didn't want to take this option. I coudn't imagine going home for another 7 hours and not progressing! I was also scared to take those medications! So we begged to be put on pitocin so that I could progress faster, but my midwife would basically only agree to do that if I got an epidural. She believed that my body couldn't relax, and that's why I wasn't progressing. I agreed to take the epidural, and boy am I glad! That was such a relief! I was so dehydrated that it took them a half hour to even find a vein, and one almost capsized on them! It's still sore in my arm. After I got about 2 bags of fluid, the epidural was put in, and labor flew by with the pitocin. In 4 short hours I was complete, and after 40 minutes of pushing Adalee arrived! What an experience. All worth it though :)

One thing I never Imagined was the love I feel for this precious angel. She is the greatest blessing in my life, and I will never be the same. She is perfect in each and every way, and I can't imagine life without this little surprise! She was worth every second of the 10 month and 5 days of pregnancy, and even the 15 hours of unmedicated labor. I would do it a hundred times over for my amazing little girl!

Her daddy couldn't be happier :) I can already see Adalee wrapping Chase around her little finger! He's head over heels, and he couldn't be more in love.

Yay we're home finally! After 2 and a half days at the hospital, Adalee is finally home in her crib! It's so nice to see my little girl in her room that we worked so hard for! I love her to pieces!

Baby Bump

So I'm officially 4 days from my due date, and I'm as big as a house! I can't wait to meet this little girl. I went to my appointment today and I am 2.5 cm dilated and all the way effaced. Her position is -2. She's getting there, but who can say when she'll finally arrive! I'm feeling okay still, but whenever I think I'm feeling great I try to do things and then I'm in lots of pain! Like in the picture below, Chase took me up to the cascade springs area to take a walk and see if we could spot an elk, and I had to lay down the whole way home I was so uncomfortable! But I did see my first Elk in Chase's spotting scope! It was pretty far away and just STARED at us for a good fifteen minutes or so. It was beautiful, and Chase thought it was a pretty big bull! Hard to tell because dusk was setting in when we saw him. Fun family trip though! Can't wait until Adalee Jane gets here! Hurry up you stinker!